Method and apparatus for treating shoes



June 16, l1925.

F. M. FURBER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHOES.

Filed May 2v. 1924 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 16, 1925. F. M. FURBER lMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHOES Filed May 27. 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 WMA/70H Patented June 16, i925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK ivi. EUREER, or REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE To UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, or rriTEinioN7 NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OE NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TBIEATING SHOES.

Application filed May 2'?, 1924. Serial No. 716,169.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. FUEEEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Revere, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Treating Shoes, of which the following description, in Connection with the accompanying drawings, is Va specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for treating slices, and more particularly to the softening of the marginal portion of the upper and the stiffening members at the toe-end and heel-end of a slice preparatory to the lasting operation.

1, It has become almost universal practice to soften the toe-end of a shoe by means of hot moist vapor to facilitate shapii'ig the upper and the `stiffening member to conform to the toe of the last. In some cases the hot moist Vapor for this purpose is obtained from steam generated at a remote source and conveyed under pressure through piping by Which it is emitted adjacent to the treating locality, While in other cases thev vapor is generated at atmospheric pressure adjacent to the treating locality by a heater to which a liquid, usually Water, is supplied under suitable regulation.

It has been proposed to soften the materials at the heel-end of the shoe While the materials at the toe-end are being softened,

but the simultaneous softening of both ends,`

according to prior' conceptions, has been conlined to the aboveinentioned principle ofV utilizing steam generated under pressure at a remote source and emitted adjacent to the treating localities. The last-named principle involves diliiculties in the regulation of the volume and temperature of the vapor supplied to the Work, and the simultaneous softening of both ends of a shoe has not acquired the extent of use anticipated.

In View of the conditions above explained, an Object of the present invention is to provide improvements in methods of simultaneously treating the toe-end and the heelend of a shoe, While 'another Object is to provide improved apparatus for practicing such treatment to satisfy the requirements of thoseshoe manufacturerswho would prefer to soften both ends simultaneously if satisfactory means for available.

Referring first to the method aspect of the present invention, considered from `one viewpoint, the invention consists in supplying radiant heat `to the toe-end and to the heel-end of a shoe simultaneously, and at the saine time generating and furnishing `hot moist vapor at atmospheric pressure adjacent to each of the two ends individually.

A. novel feature, stated in terms of apparatus, consists in a combination comprising means for supporting a shoe, a heater arranged to supply radiant heat to the toeend, a heater arranged to supply radiant heat to the heel-end, and means for supplying a liquid to each of said heaters, individually to be converted into hot moist vapor at ati'nospherio pressure adjacent to the toeend and heel-end respectively.

Another novel feature consists in the above-described combination with the addition of `individual controls for regulating the quantity of liquid supplied to each of the heaters individually so that the quantity of hot moist vapor supplied to the heel-end may be regulated independently of the quantity supplied to the toeend, andvice versa.

Still another novel feature consists in ar ranging the individual heaters so that they may be relatively adjustable one toward and from the other according to the length of shoe to be treated thereby.

The invention also provides for individua-l regulation of the temperature of the vapor and the radiant heat generated at each end of the slice.

Other features of the invention are hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus embodying a preferred form of construction;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section, of said apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a Wiring diagram of a preferred arrangement of electrical equipment for furnishing heat to the apparatus. 1.

The upper portion of a supporting column is represented at 10. A bracket l2 surrounding the column and fixed thereto by a setscrew 14 supports a Water-reservoir 16 and doing so were the treating apparatus, the latter being fastened to the bracket by screws 1S.

The illustrated apparatus, which is designed to treat two shoes simultaneously, includes a cast iron housing 20. This housing takes the attaching screvvs i8 and is thermally insulated from the bracket l2 by a plate 22 of compressed asbestos. rhe

housing is formed With a back Wall 24e, a

bottom Wall 26 and the end Walls7 but is open at the-front to receive the toes 'ot' two shoes side by side and is provided with an adjustable top Wall 28 by which the vertical dimension of the toe-receiving chamber may `be regulated. For this purpose the top Wall `formed to provide a vapor chamber 34 un- 'der the bottom wall 26.

The vapor for treating' the toe portions ot' the shoes is generated in this chamber 34- and rises through holes 36 in the bottom Wall 26. Sockets are formed in the lower part o't' the housing 20 to receive electric heating units 38. In

the illustrative embodiment ot the invention the housing is provided with three heatingl units 38, all ot' which are represented in Fig. 2. The sockets for their reception are closed at the ront end but open at the' rear end, and the electrical conductors tor supplying the current to them are indicated at 40. The heat from the electric units SS'is sui'licientto heat the entire housing 2() to a temperature that will furnish the necessary radiant heat to the shoe materials and convert the Water in the chamber Sil into hot moist vapor. The Water lor this purpose is delivered into the chamber t by a pipe 42. A cup-shaped fitting lll attached to the upper end o't the pipe l2 receives the water from the reservoir 16 through avalve liti, and a gap between the valve and the litting 4.1L is provided to enable the user to observe the rate at which the ivater is being supplied. Since. the requiren'ients for vapor are small it is usually suliicient to supply the water one drop at a time rather than to maintain a continuous stream. but a greaterl quantity may beA supplied by giving the valve 46 its full opening.

`The elements for supplying vapor to treat the heel ends of the shoes include a heat-radiating `member 50, preferably of cast iron. This member is hollow to provide a vapor chamber 52 and it has surticient lateral dimension (see Fig. 2) to underlieL the heel `parts of both shoes. Holes 54 are formed in the upper Wall o't the member 50 to release the vapor under the heel parts. lVater is supplied to theI chamber by a conduit including a flexible pipe 56, the receiving end ot' which is attached to a cup-shaped fitting 58. This ittingis affixed to the reservoir 16 and is provided With a si ght-'eed gap and with a valve GO by which the water may be regulated to drip or Ailoiv in a continuous stream into the cup. The cast iron member 50 is also provided with a socket to receive an electric heating unit 62.

The member is supported so that it may be adjusted toward and from the housing according to the length of the shoes to be treated, and Yfor this purpose it is attached to a bracket 64 having a horizontal slot 66 of a length great enough to provide tor the desired range ot' sizes. A screw stud G8 entends through an ear Z0 or the member and through the slot 66 and is provided with a hand nut 72 by which the ear may be clamped in various positions to the bracket 64a ln Fig. l the member 5() is represented by broken lines in a position at the right-hand end olf the slot 6G where it is as close as possible to the housing 20 to treat a shoe oll the smallest size. The n'iember 50 is also adjustable vertically, and l'or this purpose the ear 70 is provided with a vertical slot or notch 74- through which the stud G8 extends.

Although various provisions may be made for regulating the ten'iperature oi' the housing 2O and the heat-radiating member 50 I prefer the means represented conventionally in Fig. 3. Current supply wires are indicated at 7G and individually controllable rheostats are indicated at T8 and 80. 'lhe rheostat 78 controls the heating units 38 which are connected in parallel, while the rheostat Sl) controls the heating unit (l2. A box 82 may be attached to the column l0 to enclose the rheostats and other parts necessary to complete the electrical equipment.

The toe-ends of theI shoes are supported out olf contact with the bottom wall 26 by screws 84 standing up irom said wall and having ylarge 'flat-heads to engage the insoles, but to acconnnodate a large range ot sizes ot shoes it is desirable to use a support tor the heel-ends that may be adjusted according to the length ot the shoes. ft-,cordingly7 the invention includes an iml'irovedL adjustable, work-support tor this purpose. Referring to Fig. 2, a rod 8G bent to a U- shape, has sul'licient horizontal dimension in its mid-portion to support 4tivo shoes side by side. rlhe arms or end portions ot' this rod are inserted down'vvardly through holes extending transversely through a rock-shaft 88. This shaft is arranged totnrn ini bearings in a bracket fastened Yto the iront ot the housing 20. One end of the rock-shaft is loo nut 94. The rod SGstraddles the tWo bearings 90 and engages the outer end of each so that` when the hand nut 94 is tightened it acts through the rock-shaft 88to dran/one arm of the rod 86 against the left-handf bearing 90 While the hand nut `forces the other arm of the rod against the other,

bearing 90. i The hole for the latter arm is slightly larger than the arm to provide clearance for this dual clamping action. The tivo arms are thus simultaneously clamped by the nut 94.V This form of clampj ing means provides for` both vertical and horizontal adjustment of the Work-engaging portion of the rod 86. For example, when the nut 94 is loose the arms-of the rod 86 may slide up and down through the holes in the rock-shaft 88, and the rock-shaft may turn aboutits axis to permit the Work-engagingportion of the rod to be placed at various distances from the housingQO.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. That improvement in methods of treating shoes, which consists in supplying radiant heat to the toe-end and heel-end of a shoe simultaneously and at the same time generating individual supplies of hot moist vapor adjacent to said toe-end and heel-end respectively and furnishing said vapor to the shoe. j

2. That improvement in methods of treating slices, which consists in generating" individual supplies of heat adjacent to the toe-end and heel-end of a shoe simultaneously and at the same time generating individual supplies of hot moist vapor adjacent `to said toe-end and heel-end respectively and furnishing said vapor to the shoe.

3, That improvement in methods of treating shoes, Which consists in supplying radiant heat to the toe-end and heel-end of a shoe simultaneously and at the same time delivering individual supplies of liquid to heated areas adjacent tothe toe-end and heel-end respectively and furnishing the resultant hot moist vapor to the Work.

i 4?. That improvement in methods of treating shoes, which consists in radiating heat upwardly under the toe-end and heel-end of a shoe and at the same time generating and furnishing individual supplies of hot moist vapor under said toe-end and heel-end.

5. That improvement in methods of treating shoes, which consists in delivering indi- 1 vidualsupplies of Water at points under and adjacent to the toe-end and heel-end, respectively, of a shoe, and at the same time generating heat at saidpoints to evaporate `the Water and heat the -ivorlr` by upward radiation.`

means for supporting a shoe, heat-ing means arranged adjacent to the toe-end of the shoe, heating means arranged adjacent to the heelend, and means for supplying liquid to each of said heating` means individually to be converted into hot moist vapor.

8. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising means for supporting'a shoe so lthat the under surface of the toe-end and the under surface of the heel-end Will be exposed, heat radiating means arranged to underlie said toe-end, heat radiating `means arranged to underlie said heel-end, and means for supplyingfliquid to each of said heat-radiating means'individually to'be converted into hot moist vapor.

9. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising means for supporting a shoe so that the under surface of the toe-end and the under surface of the heel-end Will be exposed, tvvo metallic heat-radiating members arranged to underlie said toe-end and heel-end respectively, and means for delivering individual supplies of Water to said members so that it will floiv on them and furnish hot moist vapor to the Work.

10. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising means for supporting a shoe so that the under surface of the toe-end and the under surface of the heel-end will be exposed, heating means arranged to underlie said toeend, heatingl means arranged to underlie said heel-end, said two heating means being relatively adjustable one tovvard and from the other, and means for supplying liquid to each of said heating means individually to lie converted into hot moist vapor.

ll. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising means for supporting a shoe so that the nuclei' surface of the toe-end and the under surface of the heel-end Will be exposed, heat--V ing means arranged to underlie said toe-end, heating means arranged to underlie said heel-end, said supporting means and said heating means being relatively adjustable vertically to regulate the depth of space between the shoe andthe heating means, and means for supplying liquid to each of said heating means individually to he converted into hot moist vapor. i

l2. A shoe-treating apparatus comprising j means for supporting a shoe so that the under surface of the toe-end and the under surface of the heel-end Will be exposed, heating means arranged to underlie said toeend, heating means arranged to underlie said heel-end, a `reservoir for liquid, and conduits communicating with each of said heating means individually for supplying liquid fr fir shoe-treating apparatus comprising from said reservoir to he converted into hot moist Vapor.

13. A, Shoe-treating' apparatus comprising means for supporting; a. shoeA so that they uudei Surface of the toe-end and the under Surface of the heel-ond will he exposed, heating' means arranged to underlie said toe-end, heating means arranged to underlie said heel-end, a reservoir for liquid, and conduits 10 communicatingwith each of said heating FREDERICK M. FURBER. 

